The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) developed the SROSS (Stretched Rohini Satellite Serie) spacecraft as follow-ons to the successful Rohini satellite series. The SROSS vehicles were designed to carry small scientific and technology payloads, including astrophysics, Earth remote sensing, and upper atmospheric monitoring experiments.

The vehicles were launched aboard developmental flights of India's new ASLV launcher. SROSS 1, intended primarily to monitor launch vehicle performance, was lost when the first flight of the ASLV ended in failure. SROSS 2 was destroyed in the loss of the second ASLV flight a year later. The third vehicle, SROSS C, was successfully placed into space, albeit in a much lower than planned orbit. The vehicle decayed on 14 July 1992, and although it returned some scientific data, was deemed only a partial success due to its much earlier than planned re-entry. SROSS C2 was the first unqualified success of the SROSS and ASLV programs.